Shears



(No Model.)

L. A. BLAKE. SHEARS.

No. 499,705. Patented June 20, 1893.

time

" ATEN Fries.

SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,705, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed January 26, 1893. Serial No. 459,795- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LAURA ANNA BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Templeton, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shears;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to shears such as are commonly used by dress-makers, tailors, paper-hangers, and such as are in ordinary use for cutting paper and cloth, and the invention consists in a spring support attached to such an ordinary pair of shears, as will be presently described, to aid in supporting the shears when in use and to prevent the hand and fingers from becoming fatigued and blistered in their manipulation. The spring support for the shears may and preferably does consist of simply a curved piece of spring metal attached to one side of the shears and extending down below the handles or finger pieces and out of contact therewith, so that when the shears are used for cutting the spring is in contact with the surface ,upon

which the cutting is done and so affords an easy support for the shears and entirely relieves the hand of the burden of supporting the instrument. It also keeps the knuckles away from the table so that they are not subject to abrasion or blistering.

Figure 1, of the accompanying drawings is a side view of a pair of shears provided with the improvement, the shears being partially opened as in cutting. Fig. 2, is an edge view of the same with the shears closed.

In the. drawings A B are the shear blades, the handle of blade A forming the finger piece a, and the handle of blade B forming the thumb piece I).

O is the spring support constituting the present invention. The support 0, is a narrow curved plate or strip of thin resilient steel or other spring metal attached to the outside of blade A, at or near the pivotal point of the blades and extending rearwardly beneath the handles a I). Since the support is designed to extend below the handles, it is not carried by the blade B but by the blade A whose handle is lowermost in cutting. As shown, the support 0 is attached to the blade by means of a cylindrical knob or projection c (riveted or screwed to the blade) which is recessed to receive and hold the end of the support 0.

The manner of attaching support G to the blade is immaterial, since any desired method of attachment may be employed. For example, the knob 0 might be formed integral with the support or with the blade, or the knob might be omitted altogether and the end of the support attached directly to the outside of the blade. Near its point of attachment to the instrument, the spring 0 is bent laterally inward, at m Fig. 2, until it meets the plane of the shear-blades, and is thence continued rearward directly beneath the fingerpiece a and at a short distance therefrom. The effect of the bendw is to bring the support C centrally beneath the instrument so that it will form a steady support. At its rear end the support curves upward a little, so that when the shears are in use a smooth curved surface of the spring is lowermost and in contact with the table or counter upon which the cutting is done.

The spring support 0, adds very much to the efficiency of the shears and to the ease of operating them. When the shears are being used for cutting, the smooth lower surface of the spring runs along upon the table and serves as an easy support for the instrument, resting the hand and arm of the operator, and at the same time keeping the knuckles clear of the table. It also helps materially to guide the shears and to keep the hand steady, so that with the support it is possible to cut straighter and more easily than without it. By relieving the hand and arm of much unnecessary labor, the use of the improved spring support enables more work to be done, and better work, with much less elfort than with shears as commonly used.

The exact form of the spring support and its method of attachment to the shears may be varied without departing from the essential idea involved in this invention. I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction ICC attached to one of the blades thereof and consists broadly in a spring support adapted curved downward and rearward so as to be in to be attached to an ordinary pair of shears contact with a table or other cutting surface to support the'hand and guide the instrument I when the shears are in use, substantially as 15 shown in the drawings, since my invention 5 in cutting. set forth.

What I claim as my invention, and desire In testimony whereof I'affix my signature in to secure by Letters Patent, is presence of two witnesses.

1. A pair of shears provided with a spring LAURA ANNA BLAKE. support 0, substantially as set forth. Witnesses: \O 2. A pair of shears and a spring support WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,

therefor consisting of a piece of spring metal GEORGE H. \VORSTER. 

